Large size tiled display device

ABSTRACT

A large size tiled display device includes a plurality of display panels having an image display part including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes at least three sub-pixels. A frame has a plurality of panel receiving portions to receive the plurality of display panels. The frame has an outer wall frame and a partition wall frame, each of which has a vertical surface and an inclined surface extending from the vertical surface that tapers the frame. A light guide plate is formed of a cluster of optical fibers. The light guide plate is disposed on the display panels to reproduce an image formed on the image display part of the display panels. Each optical fiber corresponds to one sub-pixel.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent document is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/152,953, filed Jun. 14, 2005, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 46694/2004 filed in Korea on Jun. 22, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a large size display device, and particularly, to a large size tiled display device capable of preventing a seam phenomenon and improving light transmittance efficiency.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, the importance of an electronic display device is increasing as a visual information transmitting device and the electronic display device enlarges the scope of industry with the implementation of an information society. Diversification of information, represented by term ‘multimedia’, makes the usefulness of the electronic display device clearer. Simultaneously, the demand for an electronic display device having a large screen, providing a high quality image and good visibility and being economical is also increasing. Particularly, it is desirable for portable information devices to have low power consumption.

A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is one of the electronic display devices and is thin, light and consumes low power. Because of such characteristics, the LCD device has an increasing application market, and the demand thereof is rapidly increasing because of color display. Also, as the standard of living of consumers is improved, a product having a bigger size and better image quality is demanded. Therefore, faculties for establishing technologies to mass-produce a color liquid crystal display device with a large screen are desired.

The color LCD device with a large screen has a limit in a screen size, and a maximum panel size which has been known so far is 22 inches, and it is known that 40-inch panel may be produced theoretically.

Thus, what is called a projection TV having an optical system with a small panel to form a large image on a screen has emerged. However, despite such development, a limit in implementing a large screen still exists. For this reason, a tiled liquid crystal display device in which several liquid crystal panels are tiled to form a large size display device is being put to practical use.

FIG. 1 is a structural view which illustrates a tiled LCD device.

As shown, the tiled LCD device 10 is formed by fixing a plurality of liquid crystal panels 30 a˜30 d on a frame 20. Here, each of the liquid crystal panels 30 a˜30 d may form one unit as a backlight assembly, a liquid crystal plate, a liquid crystal layer and polarization members are attached thereto. The frame 20 includes an outer wall frame 20 a forming an outer wall, a partition wall frame 20 b interposed between panels and a bottom plate 20 c which the panels 30 a˜30 d are put on. Here, each of the panels 30 a˜30 d is received in a space formed by the partition wall frame 20 b and the outer wall frame 20 a and is tiled.

In a method of constructing a large screen using the tiling technology, because an image is not formed at the partition wall frame 20 b, a seam phenomenon occurs in that a boundary line is displayed on the screen corresponding to the partition wall frame 20 b. Thus, an entirely-unified image cannot be displayed.

BRIEF SUMMARY

By way of introduction only, in one aspect, a tiled display device comprises a plurality of display panels having an image display part including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes at least three sub-pixels. A frame has a plurality of panel receiving portions to receive the plurality of display panels. A light guide plate comprises optical fibers. The light guide plate is disposed on the display panels to reproduce an image formed on the image display part of the display panels. Each optical fiber corresponds to one sub-pixel.

In another aspect, a tiled display device comprises a plurality of display panels having an image display part including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes four sub-pixels of the same area. A frame has a plurality of panel receiving portions to receive the plurality of display panels. A light guide plate comprises optical fibers. The light guide plate is disposed on the display panels to reproduce an image formed on the image display part of the display panels. Each optical fiber corresponds to one pixel.

In another aspect, a tiled display device comprises a plurality of display panels having an image display part including a plurality of pixels. Each pixel includes a plurality of sub-pixels. A frame has a plurality of panel receiving portions to receive the plurality of display panels. The frame has an outer wall frame and a partition wall frame. An inner side of the outer wall frame includes a vertical surface formed to a certain height and an inclined surface extending outward from the vertical surface. The partition wall frame has vertical surfaces formed at both sides to the certain height and inclined surfaces extending inward from the vertical surfaces. A plurality of light guide plates is mounted in the panel receiving portions.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a large size tiled display device comprising: a plurality of display panels having an image display part including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including first˜fourth sub-pixels; a frame having a plurality of panel receiving portions to receive the plurality of display panels; and a light guide plate formed of a cluster of optical fibers and disposed on the display panels to reproduce an image formed on the image display part of the display panels, one optical fiber corresponding to one pixel, wherein the four sub-pixels defining the pixel have the same area.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a unit of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a structural view which illustrates a related tiled LCD device;

FIG. 2 is a structural view which illustrates a large size tiled display device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a structural view which illustrates a liquid crystal panel;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view which illustrates a light guide plate;

FIG. 6 is a plan view which illustrates a tiled display device in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view which illustrates the tiled display device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a plan view which illustrates the tiled display device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view which illustrates the tiled display device in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view which illustrates a tiled display device in accordance with the present invention, FIG. 3 is a view which illustrates a display panel (liquid crystal panel) in detail, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tiled display device 100 is formed by fixing to a frame 120, a plurality of display panels 130 a˜130 d and light guide plates 140 a˜140 d respectively formed on the display panels 130 a˜130 d. Here, as the display panel 130 a˜130 d, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), a field emission display panel (FED), a plasma display panel (PDP), an electroluminescence (EL) or the like may be used.

Particularly, as shown in FIG. 3, if the display panels 130 a˜130 d are liquid crystal panels, each of the display panel 130 includes a first substrate 131, a second substrate 135 and a liquid crystal layer 138 formed between the first and second substrates 131 and 135.

The first substrate 131, a thin film transistor array substrate, includes gate lines 133 and data lines 132 that define a plurality of pixel regions. A switching device (not shown) for switching each pixel is formed at each of regions where the gate lines and the data lines 132 intersect each other, and a pixel electrode 134 for driving a liquid crystal is formed at the pixel region.

The second substrate 135, a color filter substrate, includes a color filter layer 136 for implementing actual colors and a black matrix 139 for preventing light leakage between the pixels. Here, the color filter layer 136 is formed such that red, green and blue (R, G and B) color filters are disposed in regions corresponding to the pixel regions, respectively. Also, a common electrode 137 for driving the liquid crystal together with the pixel electrode 134 is formed on the color filter layer 136.

Here, although not shown in the drawing, the common electrode 137 and the pixel electrode 134 may be formed on the same plane (e.g., on the first substrate). If the common electrode 137 and the pixel electrode 134 are formed on the same substrate, a viewing angle may be improved by horizontal driving of the liquid crystal.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, as for the tiled display device in accordance with the present invention, the frame 120 includes an outer wall frame 120 a forming an outer wall, a partition wall frame 120 b interposed between panels and a bottom plate 120 c which the panels 130 a˜130 d and the light guide plates 140 a˜140 d can be put on. Here, each of the display panels 130 a˜130 d is received in a space formed by the partition wall frame 120 b and the outer wall frame 120 a and is tiled.

As shown in FIG. 4, an inner side of the outer wall frame 120 a includes a vertical surface 121 a formed to a certain height and an inclined surface 121 b upwardly extending from the vertical surface 121 a. The inclined surface 121 b is formed inclined such that a thickness of the outer wall frame 120 a gets narrower in an upward direction, the vertical surface 121 a corresponds to a side portion of the display panel 130 c, 130 d, and the inclined surface 121 b corresponds to an inclined surface formed at a side portion of the light guide plate 140 c, 140 d. Also, vertical surfaces 122 a are formed at both sides of the partition wall frame 120 b to a certain height, and inclined surfaces 122 b upwardly extend from the vertical surfaces 122 a. Here, each of the inclined surfaces 122 b is inclined such that the partition wall frame 120 b gets narrower in an upward direction.

Also, inclined surfaces are formed at side portions of the light guide plates 140 c and 140 d, to meet the inclined surfaces 121 b and 122 b of the partition wall frame 120 b and the outer wall frame 120 a. Here, the inclined surfaces of the light guide plates 140 c and 140 d are inclined corresponding to the inclined surfaces of the frames.

As shown in FIG. 5, the light guide plate 140 is formed of a cluster of optical fibers 141. The optical fibers 141 are distributed over an entire upper surface of the display panel 130 such that one set of ends form a lower surface of the light guide plate 140 and the opposing set of ends form an upper surface of the light guide plate 140. Here, because the upper surface of the light guide plate 140 has a larger area than that of the lower surface, the optical fibers 141 are inclined from a center portion toward an outer edge of the light guide plate 140. Accordingly, a seam phenomenon which occurs at a boundary surface between related display panels is prevented. Namely, in comparison with the related art, an image is displayed through the optical fibers even at the boundary surface between the display panels, namely, at the partition wall frame region, such that an image can be reproduced continuously.

A diameter of an optical fiber 141 which is being commonly manufactured is within a range of 500˜1000 μm. In case of a liquid crystal panel, lengths of a short side and a long side of a pixel defined by a gate line and a data line are about 100 μm and 200 μm, respectively, even though there are variations according to model. Also, because a section of the optical fiber has a circular shape, an image displayed through the light guide plate 140 has lower brightness than that of an image displayed at an actual display panel.

This will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. FIG. 6 is a front view of the light guide plate. As shown, the light guide plate 140 is formed as a cluster of optical fibers 141, and a diameter of the optical fiber 141 has a size enough to cover at least two pixels. Also, a BM (black matrix) film 150 is attached on the light guide plate, and the shape of the BM is formed as a regular hexagonal shape with regard to an aspect of good visibility.

Because the optical fiber 141 has a circular shape, the light guide plate 140 cannot be completely filled with optical fibers 141 and thus, a dead region (D) is generated between the optical fibers 141. Because the optical fiber 141 reproduces an image formed on a display panel, an image of a display panel 130′ corresponding to the dead region (D) cannot be reproduced by the light guide plate 140.

To solve such problems, the present invention provides a tiled display device that can improve light transmittance efficiency as a pixel occupying the optical fiber is formed as large as possible (with the maximum area) and thus the dead region D is minimized.

FIG. 7 is a tiled display device in accordance with the present invention devised to improve the light transmittance efficiency. Although not shown in the drawing, a structure of a frame for receiving the display panel and the light guide plate is the same as that of the previous embodiment (FIG. 4).

As shown, as for the tiled display device 200 in accordance with the present embodiment, sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c are designed such that one optical fiber 241 corresponds to one sub-pixel. Namely, the optical fibers 241 are matched one to one with the sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c, and the optical fibers 241 are respectively disposed at the R (red), G (green) and B (blue) sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c. Here, each of the sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c is formed to occupy the corresponding optical fiber 241 as large as possible (with the maximum area). In other words, because the optical fiber 241 has a circular shape, the sub-pixel 260 a, 260 b and 260 c may also have a circular shape identical to the optical fiber 241. In general, because a diameter of the optical fiber 241 is within a range of 500˜1000 μm, a size of a sub-pixel 260 a, 260 b and 260 c varies according to the optical fiber 241 used.

Also, a BM film 250 having a BM pattern of a regular hexagonal shape may be attached to each boundary region between the optical fibers 241 (i.e., a region corresponding to a boundary region between sub-pixels) thereby improving a CR (contrast ratio). Here, the sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c may have a regular hexagonal shape identical to the BM pattern.

As for the case that the sub-pixels 260 a, 260 c and 260 c are designed as a regular hexagonal shape, as shown, the optical fibers 241 are respectively disposed within the sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c. Here, a dead region (D′) in which the optical fibers cannot cover the sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c is generated because the optical fiber 241 has a circular shape. However, the dead region (D′) is remarkably small compared to that in the previous embodiment (refer to FIG. 6). Therefore, light transmittance efficiency may be improved.

Also, because an arrangement of the R, G and B sub-pixels 260 a, 260 b and 260 c is identical to an arrangement of the optical fibers 241.

As shown in FIG. 8, a sub-pixel 260 d such as W (white), Y (yellow), M (magenta) or the like may be additionally formed to improve brightness of a display panel 230′. Here, one pixel includes R, G, B and W or Y or M 260 a, 260 b, 260 c and 260 d.

Also, to implement a high-brightness tiled display device, the four sub-pixels including the W, Y or M sub-pixel may correspond to one optical fiber in the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a high-brightness tiled display device in which one pixel 360 is disposed at one optical fiber 341 in a display panel where four sub-pixels define one pixel.

As shown, in the high-brightness tiled display device 300 in accordance with the present embodiment, one pixel 360 is disposed in one optical fiber 341. The pixel 360 includes first˜fourth sub-pixels 360 a˜360 d. The first˜third substrates 360 a˜360 c are R, G and B sub-pixels, and the fourth sub-pixel 360 d may be W, Y or M sub-pixel.

Only, the first˜fourth sub-pixels 360 a to 360 d are designed to have the same area within the optical fiber 341. Here, the pixel 360 including the first˜fourth sub-pixels 360 a˜360 d may be designed as a regular hexagonal shape identical to a shape of a BM pattern or as a circular shape identical to a shape of the optical fiber 341.

Also, any shape of the first˜fourth sub-pixels is allowable if they have the same area within the optical fiber 341.

As described so far, the present invention can prevent a seam phenomenon occurring at a boundary surface between display panels by installing light guide plates on the display panels. Particularly, in the present invention, the light guide plate is formed of a cluster of optical fibers, and R, G and B sub-pixels defining one pixel are respectively disposed in optical fibers, thereby improving light transmittance efficiency.

Also, in the present invention, as for a high-brightness tiled display device in which W, Y or M sub-pixel is added, one unit pixel defined by a plurality of sub-pixels (e.g., four sub-pixels) may be disposed at one optical fiber. Here, if the four sub-pixels defining the pixel have the same area within the optical fiber, any shape of the sub-pixels may be allowable.

As described so far, the present invention may provide a large size display device that provides high image quality thanks to the improved light efficiency because a seam phenomenon is prevented by using a light guide plate formed of optical fibers and a pixel is designed so as to minimize a dead region generated between the optical fibers.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims. 

1. A large size tiled display device comprising: a plurality of display panels having an image display part including a plurality of pixels, each pixel including first˜fourth sub-pixels; a frame having a plurality of panel receiving portions to receive the plurality of display panels; and a light guide plate formed of a cluster of optical fibers and disposed on the display panels to reproduce an image formed on the image display part of the display panels, one optical fiber corresponding to one pixel, wherein the four sub-pixels having the same area.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a black matrix (BM) film including a BM of a regular hexagonal shape, the BM being formed at a boundary between the optical fibers corresponding to the pixels.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sub-pixel is a red (R) sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel is a green (G) sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel is a blue (B) sub-pixel, and the fourth sub-pixel is a white (W) sub-pixel.
 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sub-pixel being a red (R) sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel being a green (G) sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel being a blue (B) sub-pixel, and the fourth sub-pixel being a yellow (Y) sub-pixel.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sub-pixel being a red (R) sub-pixel, the second sub-pixel being a green (G) sub-pixel, the third sub-pixel being a blue (B) sub-pixel, and the fourth sub-pixel being a magenta (M) sub-pixel.
 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame having an outer wall frame and a partition wall frame, an inner side of the outer wall frame including a vertical surface formed to a certain height and an inclined surface extending outward from the vertical surface, the partition wall frame having vertical surfaces formed at both sides to the certain height and inclined surfaces extending inward from the vertical surfaces; and 